I was asked to write a piece for talesofflowandmagic.com (original story here: http://talesofflowandmagic.com/blog---tales-of-flow-and-magic.html)about my Burning Man experience last year. Today they shared the piece as most of my close friends prepare to leave for The Playa. I am not going to Burning Man this year. Of course, those of you who know me well know I’m a “never say never” kind of guy. I am always open to a change of flow, but it’s feeling pretty certain. And I must admit, it stings a little. I wasn’t expecting it to. I made the decision feeling very firmly rooted and confident about it. I have a lot of professional/career momentum in every way right now and shifting my energy doesn’t feel like it is in the highest good and aligned with the things I am consciously manifesting in my life. But damned if The Playa doesn’t keep testing me. Last week someone offered me a ticket, at a time when many friends are still calling one in. I’ve had two work opportunities come up this week that involve a trip to Mammoth area (right on the way to Black Rock City) and Sacramento (almost there). I’m letting some friends use some of my gear and went and got all my things out of storage yesterday. The smell of Playa dust swirling into my head every time I get in the car triggers me. I turn around and see my tent and all my gear and think “wait…am I going to fucking Burning Man?”. I keep checking in…not with my head, but with my subtle feelings. Not by logically going over the pros of gifts the Burn will most certainly shower on me and the cons of the energy it will take to get there, get back, and acclimate. I’m listening to my body. I’m asking myself…how does this feel? What is in my heart? How does it taste and what part of this is based in fear and what is based in Love? So far, my instrument is staying the course. It is telling me to honor the gift of staying on track and loving myself enough to know there is nothing that I am going to miss that will lessen me. That my body knows what is in the highest service of my mission and purpose. I believe the universe tests us in a way. When we are ready for a new energy or calling something in, she will send us little nuggets to see if we are really ready for what we are asking to manifest. We always have the choice of taking the bait and staying in the old energy/frequency, or confirming to the creator that we are ready to be ready to be ready to accept the new by saying no to the old. And of course, it could all change in an instant. The next time I get in that car the smell of Playa dust could spark a chain reaction that leads to me spinning into something like the story below to burn baby burn. My vow is to listen to my intuition and be in the moment making decisions based on what I am feeling now and not the story I have made up to this point. Right now, the only thing I’m feeling pulled to is watching my dear friends Rachel and Johann share their vows of Love with our community. But I’m just gonna have to Love the fuck out of them all year long to make up for it. Thank you to Tales of Flow and Magic for sparking a little inspiration this morning. If I get a wild hare up my ass and make a dash for The Playa…you’ll have another story for next year.